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PrintJeffrey W. Shultz
Entomology
Associate Professor
Contact
Email: jshultz@umd.edu
Office Phone: 301.405.7519
Fax: 301-314-9290
Office Address: 4112 Plant Sciences Bldg, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742-4454
Teaching
- BSCI 337 Biology of Insects
- BSCI 480 Arthropod Form & Function
- BSCI 481 Insect Diversity & Classification
Graduate Program Affiliations
- Entomology
- BISI - Behavior, Ecology, Evolution, & Systematics (BEES)
Research Interests
Research in my lab focuses on the evolutionary/functional morphology and phylogeny of arthropods, especially arachnids. Recent completed projects include a study of the relative roles of hydraulic pressure and elastic recoil in joint mechanics of arachnid legs, whole-body kinematics of locomotion in harvestmen, endoskeletal anatomy of scorpions, descriptions of new harvestmen from Chile, and morphology-based phylogenetic analysis of arachnid orders. Ph.D. student Andrew Sensenig is working on low-Re fluid dynamics of mayfly larvae using particle imaging velocimetry in cooperation with coadvisor Ken Kiger (Mechanical Engineering, UMCP).
I have a long-standing collaboration with Jerry Regier (Center for Biosystems Research, UMBI) on the development of protein-coding gene sequences for use in resolving relationships among major arthropod groups. I am also starting to work with Leslie Pick (Entomology, UMCP) on the evolution of the segmentation gene fushi tarazu in hexapods.
I am currently developing a project on the evolution of mating systems in Leiobunum, a species-rich group of harvestmen that is particularly diverse in eastern North America, Mexico and Japan. Our work to date indicates that "mating" in Leibunum is actually a multi-phase process involving copulation preceded by close-contact courtship, including the transfer of a fluid, penis-associated nuptial gift. Collaborators Marshal Hedin (San Diego State Univ.), Rogelio Macías Ordóñez (Instituto de Ecologia, Mexico), Nobuo Tsurusaki (Tottori University, Japan) and I will use molecular-sequence data to determine phylogenetic relationships within and among Leiobunum and related taxa, document their sexual morphology and behavior, and test the hypothesis that mating-system diversity is the result of a long-term sexual arms race.
Potential graduate students who are interested in working on some aspect of this or related research are encouraged to contact me. My laboratory is equipped for behavioral and kinematic studies (3-D video analysis, video microscopy, miniature variable-speed treadmill), electrophysiology (including electromyography and miniature force and pressure transduction), histology and gross anatomy.
I have a long-standing collaboration with Jerry Regier (Center for Biosystems Research, UMBI) on the development of protein-coding gene sequences for use in resolving relationships among major arthropod groups. I am also starting to work with Leslie Pick (Entomology, UMCP) on the evolution of the segmentation gene fushi tarazu in hexapods.
I am currently developing a project on the evolution of mating systems in Leiobunum, a species-rich group of harvestmen that is particularly diverse in eastern North America, Mexico and Japan. Our work to date indicates that "mating" in Leibunum is actually a multi-phase process involving copulation preceded by close-contact courtship, including the transfer of a fluid, penis-associated nuptial gift. Collaborators Marshal Hedin (San Diego State Univ.), Rogelio Macías Ordóñez (Instituto de Ecologia, Mexico), Nobuo Tsurusaki (Tottori University, Japan) and I will use molecular-sequence data to determine phylogenetic relationships within and among Leiobunum and related taxa, document their sexual morphology and behavior, and test the hypothesis that mating-system diversity is the result of a long-term sexual arms race.
Potential graduate students who are interested in working on some aspect of this or related research are encouraged to contact me. My laboratory is equipped for behavioral and kinematic studies (3-D video analysis, video microscopy, miniature variable-speed treadmill), electrophysiology (including electromyography and miniature force and pressure transduction), histology and gross anatomy.
Recent Publications
- Shultz JW. 2008. Leiobunum nigripes is a junior synonym of Leiobunum verrucosum (Opiliones, Sclerosomatidae). Journal of Arachnology 36:184-186. Shultz JW. 2007. Morphology of the prosomal endoskeleton of Scorpiones (Arachnida) and a new hypothesis for the evolution of cuticular cephalic endoskeletons in arthropods.
- Arthropod Structure & Development 36: 77-102.[pdf]
- Shultz JW, Pinto-da-Rocha R. 2007. Morphology and Functional Anatomy, pp. 14-61. In: The Harvestmen: The Biology of Opiliones. R. Pinto da Rocha, G. Machado & G. Giribet, eds. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA.
- Shultz JW. 2007. A phylogenetic analysis of the arachnid orders based on morphological characters. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 150:221-266.[pdf]
- Sensenig AT, Shultz JW. 2006. Mechanical energy oscillations during locomotion in the harvestman Leiobunum vittatum (Opiliones). Journal of Arachnology 34: 627-633.[pdf]
- Regier JC, Shultz JW, Kambic RE. 2005. Pancrustacean phylogeny: hexapods are terrestrial crustaceans and maxillopods are not monophyletic. Proceedings of the Royal Society B 272:395-401.[pdf]
- Briggs DEG, Moore RA, Shultz JW, Schweigert G. 2005. Mineralization of soft-part anatomy and invading microbes in the horseshoe crab Mesolimulus from the Upper Jurassic Lagerstaette of Nusplingen, Germany. Proceedings of the Royal Society B 272:627-632.[pdf]
- Regier JC, Wilson HM, Shultz JW. 2005. Phylogenetic analysis of Myriapoda using three nuclear protein-coding genes. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 34:147-158.[pdf]
- Sensenig A, Shultz JW. 2004. Mechanics of elastic extension in the pedipalpal joints of scorpions and solifuges (Arachnida: Scorpiones, Solifugae). Journal of Arachnology 32:1-10.[pdf]
- Regier JC, Shultz JW, Kambic RE. 2004. Phylogeny of basal hexapod lineages and estimates of divergence times. Annals of the Entomological Society of America 97:411-419.[pdf]
- Mallatt J, Garey JR, Shultz JW. 2004. Ecdysozoan phylogeny and Bayesian inference: first use of nearly complete 28S and 18S rRNA gene sequences to classify the arthropods and their kin. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 31:178-191.[pdf]
- Shultz JW, Cekalovic T. 2006. First species of Hesperopilio (Opiliones, Caddoidea, Caddidae) from South America. Journal of Arachnology 34: 46-50.[pdf]
- Shultz JW, Cekalovic T. 2003. First species of Austropsopilio (Opiliones, Caddoidea, Caddidae) from South America. Journal of Arachnology 31:20-27.[pdf]
- Sensenig A, Shultz JW. 2003. Mechanics of cuticular elastic energy storage in leg joints lacking extensor muscles in arachnids. Journal of Experimental Biology 206:771-784.[pdf]
- Shultz JW. 2001. Gross muscular anatomy of Limulus polyphemus (Chelicerata, Xiphosura) and its bearing on evolution in the Arachnida. Journal of Arachnology 29:283-303.[pdf]
- Shultz JW, Regier JC. 2001. Phylogenetic analysis of Phalangida (Arachnida, Opiliones) using two nuclear protein-encoding genes supports monophyly of Palpatores. Journal of Arachnology 29:189-200.[pdf]
- Shultz JW, Regier JC. 2000. Phylogenetic analysis of two nuclear protein-encoding genes in arthropods supports a crustacean-hexapod clade. Proceedings of the Royal Society B 267:1011-1019.[pdf]
- Shultz JW. 2000. Skeletomuscular anatomy of the harvestman Leiobunum aldrichi (Weed, 1893)(Arachnida: Opiliones) and its evolutionary significance. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 128:401-438.[pdf]
Awards
1992-1994, Alfred P. Sloan Postdoctoral Fellowship in Molecular Studies of Evolution
Education
- B.S. 1982, Michigan State University
- M.S. 1985, Ohio University
- Ph.D. 1990, Ohio State University
